L's Best Friend
by Translucent Darkness
Summary: Oneshot. Light decides that L needs more friends and proceeds to get him a dog. It doesn't go well for Light. Inubaka crossover.


A/N: This takes place after the Kira Case. Light is not Kira in this fic.

Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note or Inubaka.

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"Light-kun, is this blindfold really necessary?" L asked as Light led him down the crowded streets of Tokyo, a blindfold obscuring the detective's rather large, protuberant eyes.

Light laughed. "Of course, Ryuzaki. Otherwise it wouldn't be a surprise."

"I don't know my way around Tokyo, Light-kun; therefore, I would not be able to deduce where we are going even without the blindfold," L argued.

"We're almost there, Ryuzaki," the younger man replied, ignoring his friend's continued protests.

Light stopped before a storefront labeled _Woofles._

"May I take it off now, Light-kun?" L asked, the thumb resting on his lower lip revealing his minor nervousness at being literally kept in the dark.

"Just a few more seconds, Ryuzaki." Light guided the tentative detective into the store, smiling at the confused expression that crossed L's face as the shop's rather interesting smells and sounds assaulted him.

"Light-kun?" L had an idea of where they were, but why would Light…

"You can take off the blindfold now."

L did as he was instructed, his vision confirming his suspicions. "Why are we in a pet store, Light-kun?"

Light ran his hand through his perfect hair, letting a small sigh escape him. He dragged L over to a secluded corner of the shop and made sure no one could hear them before responding in a lowered tone. "L you're my best friend, and I know I'm your best friend. But, now that the Kira case is over, I'll be going back to university, and you'll be going God knows where on your next important case, and, frankly, I'm worried about you."

"Worried?" L cocked his head to the side, not unlike a few of the puppies in the shop around them.

"Yes. L, I don't want you to become lonely, and, like they say, dog is man's best friend."

Across the shop, Teppei examined the two young men conversing in the corner of his shop. Turning to Suguri, he said, "Suguri-san, go help the two men over there."

"Okay, Teppei-san!" Suguri said excitedly, bounding over to them. It seemed as though they were in the middle of conversation. Suguri paused with uncertainty, not knowing if she should interrupt them or not.

"But Light-kun," she heard the man with a similar hair-cut to Teppei's say, "I've never had a dog before. I wouldn't know how to take care of a puppy."

The other man apparently named Light looked at Teppei's-hair-cut-man incredulously. "L," he began, though with her sheltered life Suguri didn't recognize the name, "you are the smartest person I know, and possibly the smartest person in the world. I think you'd be able to figure out how to care for a puppy." L lowered his head to further contemplate what Light had said. "Besides, I talked to Watari, and he said he'd be happy to help you raise a puppy."

L nodded absently and nibbled on his thumb as percentages, pros, and cons flitted through his mind. Light waited patiently for his friend to agree to getting a dog.

Seeing her chance, Suguri said, "Hello, my name is Suguri! May I help you?"

The two men started, unaware that someone was so close to them. A moment of panic consumed L at the thought that the girl may know of his true identity, but the moment passed as the girl's bright and cheerful and not-surprised-in-the-least disposition dispelled any ideas that she may have heard his name.

"Yes," Light responded, "my friend would like a puppy."

"Light-kun," L whined, tugging on the younger man's sleeve. "I haven't decided yet."

"Ryuzaki, just look at the dogs, okay?" L nodded, reluctantly.

Suguri was a little confused as to why Light referred to his friend as both L and Ryuzaki, but she assumed one was just a nickname. Suguri then led them around the shop, showing them various breeds of puppies. L seemed adverse to all of them, refusing to hold a single one.

"What about this one?" Suguri asked, holding a Dalmatian puppy.

L, the tip of his thumb securely in his mouth, scrutinized the puppy before shaking his head in the negative.

Suguri sighed as she set the puppy back in his pen. Teppei, who had been watching Suguri's fruitless efforts for a while, joined the group. "Hello, I'm Teppei. Is there a problem."

Scowling, Light said, "The only problem is that Ryuzaki's being way too picky."

"This was not my idea, Light-kun. You cannot begrudge me when I'm humoring you."

"If you really don't want a dog, Ryuzaki, let's just go and stop wasting their time." Light sounded disappointed, but he wasn't going to force L to get a pet.

L turned his large, black eyes to his friend. "I never said I didn't want a dog, Light-kun." L stared at the younger man for a moment before walking to another part of the store, leaving Light with Suguri and Teppei.

Light groaned. "That man is so difficult! I know he does that on purpose, too." Suguri chuckled slightly at their antics.

"Light-kun," L's low, calm voice called from the opposite side of the store.

Light immediately perked up and walked over to his friend, Suguri and Teppei close behind.

L was staring fixatedly into a pen of large, furry puppies. Oddly enough, a puppy toward the back was calmly staring back at him with eyes as large, protuberant, and black as L's own.

Suguri smiled with glee, recognizing the look on L's face as that of a man having found the perfect dog. Disrupting the rather eerie staring contest, Suguri lifted the puppy from the pen. "This is a Bernese Mountain Dog. Would you like to hold her?"

A kind of child-like wonderment sparked in L's eyes for a moment as he nodded heartily. L cradled the puppy, one of his wide and almost creepy smiles spreading across his face. The puppy leaned up and gave his face one quick lick before burrowing into his arms.

"I think you've found your dog, Ryuzaki."

Smiling, L replied, "I believe I have, Light-kun."

_

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_

Five Years Later

Suguri was cleaning out dog pens as Teppei amiably sold a loyal customer a new leash and collar. Most of the people who purchased puppies from _Woofles_ returned for all of their doggy supply and information needs and also to chat with Teppei and Suguri. However, the pair had not seen the odd men known as Light and Ryuzaki since they had sold them the puppy. Teppei had been sure to tell them to return anytime, but neither had darkened their doorway in five years. It hurt Teppei slightly, not knowing how the puppy he sold was faring. Fortunately for Teppei, after the customer left with his new leash and collar, a giant Bernese Mountain Dog walked through the door, preceding the entrance of two men.

L nibbled the end of his thumb softly while holding the leash in his other hand. Light seemed perturbed and was throwing annoyed looks at L's canine.

Seeing them enter, Suguri exclaimed, "Hello, you two! It's been a while. How's the dog?"

L patted the dog on the head. "She's perfect." The dog licked L's hand before sitting on one of his feet while leaning against him possessively.

"What'd you name her?" Teppei asked as he scrutinized the dog.

"Tsuki," L responded. Light snorted in indignation. Light's name was written as 'tsuki' or 'moon' in kanji, though it was pronounced as 'light.' Ignoring his friend, L said as way of explanation for their presence, "We assumed you'd like to know how she's doing. I apologize for not returning sooner, but I'm afraid my job has taken Tsuki and I out of Japan until recently."

Teppei smiled as he finished his silent examination, satisfied at seeing the healthy dog Tsuki had become.

"Well," Light began, "we just stopped in to say hello. We have many more places to go today."

L nodded in agreement. "Come, Tsuki."

Light groaned. "I don't know if I should be offended or flattered that you named a dog after me."

L looked confused, cocking his head in that puppy-like way of his. "Flattered? Light-kun should be honored that his name is associated with that of my best friend."

There was a pause as Light comprehended what L had said. "I knew it! I knew you liked that damn dog more than me! I should've known it'd be a mistake to buy it for you!" L laughed heartily.

Inside the shop, Suguri waved good-bye to the trio. Having heard a bit of their conversation, she voiced, "I wonder what Light-san meant by saying that Tsuki was named after him." She shrugged. "Oh, well. Ryuzaki-san must have a weird nickname for Light-san just as Light-san has one for him."

"Nickname?" Teppei asked absently while restocking the shelves with dog food.

"Yeah. I once heard Light-san call Ryuzaki-san 'L.'" There was a clang as cans of dog food fell to the floor.

"Teppei-san?" Suguri said, concerned by her boss's utterly shocked countenance. "Teppei-san…?"

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A/N: Here's a picture and some info about Bernese Mountain Dogs: www (dot) justdogbreeds (dot) com (backslash) bernese (dash) mountain (dash) dog (dot) html. Just replace what's in parentheses with their respective symbols. I chose that dog for L because: A) It's adorable, B) It's energy level is low which would be good for L as he has no backyard, and C) It's temperament seemed to suit L (see the website). It also looks a little like my dog which is a bonus! (If you knew me IRL, you'd know how obsessed I am with my wonderful, perfect doggy!)


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